Thomas Kinkade (a.k.a. “Painter of Light”) is a born-again Christian artist whose prints appear everywhere. He runs the Thomas Kinkade Co.
He just lost a big court case because of shady business dealings — he now owes $2,100,000 — but notice how he manipulated the other side (Kinkade Signature Gallery owners):
At a week-long presentation for prospective Kinkade Signature Gallery owners, company executives “said they would support us as partners in spreading the light,” Spinello said at the time of the arbitration award. “They said their business was blessed.”
In its February 2006 decision, the arbitration panel said Kinkade and other company officials used terms like “partner,” “trust,” “Christian” and “God” to create “a certain religious environment designed to instill a special relationship of trust” with the couple.
What the company didn’t tell them, said their attorney, was that they would have to sell Kinkade’s works at minimum retail prices while the artist undercut them with discount sales, some of which he made himself on cable television.
Kinkade cheated the very companies who were selling his work so he could make more money. It’s greed at its finest.
Just because someone is a Christian, it doesn’t mean they’re moral. Why are people getting duped by words like “Christian” and “God”? It’s as if hearing that a business associate is Christian means you don’t need to think critically about what you’re doing or look any further into this business you’re about to give your life savings to.
(And why would you give your life saving to sell this tripe…? And who buys this?!)
Case in point: President Bush was another born-again Christian and look at all the crimes he committed.
I’m not saying all born-again Christians are bad. That’s not true. I’m saying that a religious label doesn’t tell us very much at all about a person’s true character.
The victims in this case should have realized that instead of getting blinded by faith. At least they’ll get their money back.
(Thanks to Greta Christina for the link!)